Northeastern New York PGA

1 week ago

Blessed and thankful to all who have served and continue to serve for all of us. #thankful #blessed ... See MoreSee Less

Northeastern New York PGA

3 weeks ago

Alex Smith, PGA – Sales Representative of the Year Award Winner - Special Award Spotlight


1. Family - Spouse/Significant Other?
Wife-Sue

2. Children? Names and ages
Lizzy (15) and Anna (14)

3. Where do you work?
Alex Smith Sales

4. What is your role at the facility?
President/Owner

5. How long have you been a PGA Member?
Since 1998

6. Have you worked in other PGA Sections beside the NENY? If yes, Which ones?
Georgia, NENY, CNY

7. Where did you grow up and where did you play high school golf?
Grew up in Barneveld, NY and played High School Golf at Holland Patent

8. Where did you attend College? Were you on the golf team?
Mississippi State University, not on the golf team but graduated from the PGM Program

9. How did you begin your career in golf?
Working at Thendara Golf Club

10. Who is your mentor?
The late, Dave Geiger. Dave was my first boss at Thendara GC and made the business side of golf seam very appealing

11. Who inspires you?
My family

12. What is your favorite course in the NENY PGA?
Taconic GC

13. What is your favorite course outside of the NENY PGA?
Thendara GC

14. What is the highlight of your career?
The friendships and relationships that have been forged from 24 years of working in the golf industry

15. When you’re not playing golf, what do you like to do?
Ski, Fish, Watch the NY Mets

16. If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?
Don Knotts

17. What are you most proud of?
Being named Greg Norman’s Sales Rep of the Year in 2018 & 2019

18. What is something (a fun fact) most people don’t know about you?
I’m a pretty good Karaoke Singer ... See MoreSee Less

Northeastern New York PGA

4 weeks ago

Mark Jorgensen, PGA – Merchandiser of the Year (Private Facility) Award Winner
Special Award Spotlight


1. Family - Spouse/Significant Other?
Diane Jorgensen

2. Children? Names and ages
Robert Jorgensen 29, Sam Shulman 22, Mia Shulman 21

3. Where do you work?
Shaker Ridge CC

4. What is your role at the facility?
Head Golf Professional

5. How long have you been a PGA Member?
30 Years

6. Have you worked in other PGA Sections beside the NENY? If yes, Which ones?
Central NY PGA Section

7. Where did you grow up and where did you play high school golf?
Grew up in New Hartford NY Utica Area) Played high School golf at Yahnundasis Golf Club

8. Where did you attend College? Were you on the golf team?
Played at 1 year at Western Kentucky University, Played with Kenny Perry PGA Tour Player, 1 year at Edison Community College, Ft Myers Florida. Participated in NJCAA National Championships, 2 years at Florida International University, qualified for NCAA Division 2 National Championships


9. How did you begin your career in golf?
Began at the age of seven at the Skenandoa Club in Clinton, NY. My father was a member there. Rick Wright was the Head Golf Professional

10. Who is your mentor?
Rick Wright, PGA Golf Professional

11. Who inspires you?
Other golf pros that do a great job!

12. What is your favorite course in the NENY PGA?
Leatherstocking Golf Club, Cooperstown NY

13. What is your favorite course outside of the NENY PGA?
White Witch Golf Club and Cinnamon Hill Golf Clubs in Jamaica

14. What is the highlight of your career?
Winning New York State High School Championship

15. When you’re not playing golf, what do you like to do?
Boating

16. If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?
Princess Diana / Family

17. What are you most proud of?
My father had the Mohawk Valley Community College Athletic facility named after him. “Robert R Jorgensen Center”

18. What is something (a fun fact) most people don’t know about you?
I was the second leading scorer in history on the soccer team at New Hartford Central High School. ... See MoreSee Less

Northeastern New York PGA is with Robert Jorgensen.

4 weeks ago

Robert Jorgensen, PGA – Assistant Golf Professional of the Year Award Winner
Special Award Spotlight


1. Family - Spouse/Significant Other? Family
No spouse or significant other

2. Children?
None

3. Where do you work?
Saratoga National Golf Club

4. What is your role at the facility?
1st Assistant Golf Professional

5. How long have you been a PGA Member?
3 years

6. Have you worked in other PGA Sections beside the NENY? If yes, Which ones?
South Florida

7. Where did you grow up and where did you play high school golf?
New Hartford, NY. Played for New Hartford High School

8. Where did you attend College? Were you on the golf team?
Campbell University. Was not on the golf team.

9. How did you begin your career in golf?
My father, Mark Jorgensen introduced me to the game.


10. Who is your mentor?
Peter Tavares

11. Who inspires you?
My father

12. What is your favorite course in the NENY PGA?
Saratoga National Golf Club

13. What is your favorite course outside of the NENY PGA?
Tobacco Road Golf Club

14. What is the highlight of your career?
The first time beating Mark Jorgensen in golf.

15. When you’re not playing golf, what do you like to do?
Hang out with the boys Ben and Jerry, right after finishing a Digiorno Rising Crust Supreme Pizza.

16. If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?
Tiger Woods

17. What are you most proud of?
Finishing College and becoming a member of the PGA of America

18. What is something (a fun fact) most people don’t know about you?
Won the 2009 New York State High School Hockey Championship. ... See MoreSee Less

Northeastern New York PGA

1 month ago

Justin Hearley, PGA – Roland Stafford Sportsmanship Award Winner -- Special Award Spotlight

1. Family - Spouse/Significant Other?
Wife- Maria Hearley

2. Children? Names and ages
Caiden Louis expected August 2020. First boy in my family in 30 years!

3. Where do you work?
Normanside Country Club

4. What is your role at the facility?
First Assistant Golf Professional

5. How long have you been a PGA Member?
5 Years this June

6. Have you worked in other PGA Sections beside the NENY? If yes, Which ones?
No, I have always been a member of the NENY Section since Junior Golf.

7. Where did you grow up and where did you play high school golf?
I grew up in Albany and played most of my junior golf at Capital Hills at Albany. I attended Christian Brothers Academy and played all four years on the high school golf team, captaining the team my senior year.

8. Where did you attend College? Were you on the golf team?
I attended college at SUNY Delhi in the Professional Golf Management Program. I played on the college golf team all four years and captained the team my senior year at Delhi. Although I never won an individual tournament in college, I had many second and third place finishes over my four years. I was a member of the All Tournament Team in the 2010 NAIA Regional tournament in Ohio hosted by Ohio Dominican and was also a two-time NAIA Daktronics Men’s Scholar Athlete Recipient both my Junior and Senior Year.

9. How did you begin your career in golf?
I didn’t really get into golf until after I graduated 8th grade. That summer before high school, with the help of my first golf lesson from fellow NENY PGA Pro Steve Vatter, I became hooked and the rest is history. I played over 150 rounds that year and went from shooting mid 120s to shooting 89 at my high school golf tryouts to make the team by 1. Once I realized golf was my passion and Delhi had the professional golf management program and the ability to play college golf, I was sold. In 2009, Tom DeBerry and Erik Smith hired me to work as a bag room attendant. From that year on, I have worked my way up the totem pole at Normanside to my current position as First Assistant Golf Professional.


10. Who is your mentor?
I don’t have one specific mentor but have many I have looked to over the years for advice and guidance. Until his late passing, I stayed in touch with Tom DeBerry who initially hired me at Normanside and was able to pick his brain on a lot of the successes he had over the years at Normanside and throughout his long tenure in the NENY Section.

11. Who inspires you?
My passion in golf and everything I have done throughout my career is all in thanks to my late grandfather, Louis Rossi. He introduced me to the game and always helped push me to work hard and give it everything I had. I promised him before he passed that I would finish college on a high note and proceed through the schooling and work experience towards my PGA Membership. His “See It, Feel It, Trust It” saying he always used to tell me is a constant reminder to stay focused and I have that always imprinted on my golf balls.

12. What is your favorite course in the NENY PGA?
Besides Normanside Country Club, I always enjoy playing both Schuyler Meadows Club and Glens Falls Country Club.

13. What is your favorite course outside of the NENY PGA?
Baywood Greens in Longneck, Delaware.

14. What is the highlight of your career?
My highlight of my career thus far is winning the 2018 Assistant Player of the Year.

15. When you’re not playing golf, what do you like to do?
I’m an avid bowler in the off-season and have teamed up with my father Bill since 2012. I have averaged in the 230's a few times over the years and have had 5 perfect games and 3 800 series. My high 3 game series is 825 and my high 4 game series is 1068.

16. If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?
I wish I could have met Arnold Palmer before he passed. He was such an amazing advocate for golf and a class act through and through.

17. What are you most proud of?
Becoming a member of the PGA. I worked hard over the years after college to gain my membership and I couldn’t be prouder to be a member of the PGA. Being able to help teach the game of golf that I love so much to people of all ages is an amazing feeling.

18. What is something (a fun fact) most people don’t know about you?
I have witnessed 9 hole-in-ones throughout my career in golf while never having one myself. I hear they come in bunches, but I’m still here waiting. I would trade any of my perfect games in bowling for one hole-in-one any day of the week. ... See MoreSee Less

Northeastern New York PGA

1 month ago

Brian Hampson, PGA – Merchandiser of the Year (Public Facility) Award Winner -- Special Award Spotlight

1. Family - Spouse/Significant Other?
Wife- Rima Hampson married 21 years

2. Children? Names and ages
Children- Olivia 18 Siena College & Owen 16 Albany High School

3. Where do you work?
Normanside CC, Delmar, NY

4. What is your role at the facility?
Head Professional

5. How long have you been a PGA Member?
PGA Member for 13 years all in NENY PGA Section

6. Have you worked in other PGA Sections beside the NENY? If yes, Which ones?
No

7. Where did you grow up and where did you play high school golf?
Grew up in Averill Park NY attended Averill Park High School graduated in 1985. School did not have a golf team, but I played in the ENYGA Jr Program as a High School student. Played soccer, basketball, and tennis at the High School level.

8. Where did you attend College? Were you on the golf team?
Attended HVCC in Troy NY and began playing in Local and NYSGA amateur events before deciding to enter the golf business. Held course record and won Club Championship as a member at Burden Lake CC.

9. How did you begin your career in golf?
I began my career in Golf while working at Burden Lake CC under PGA Professional Ron Choquette. I was inspired by Ron's love of the game and his passion for teaching. I try to bring his level of energy to work to this day.

10. Who is your mentor?
My mentor in the PGA was the late Tom DeBerry. So much so that his contact is still in my phone under the title "mentor” Tom was influential to my growth and taught me so many of the lessons that have shaped my career. I was still in regular contact with Tom right up until his passing and he was still teaching me about this business up until he left us too early. I miss his guidance and friendship every day and I am honored to be the Head Professional at his former facility at Normanside CC.

11. Who inspires you?
I am inspired by many of my fellow professionals in the NENY PGA. We are blessed to have so many talented professionals that excel in so many different areas. We have professionals that work in PGA Leadership Roles, excel as instructors, give back to the community, and of course are great players. If you need inspiration you don’t need to look hard to find some in the NENY PGA!

12. What is your favorite course in the NENY PGA?
I have 2 favorite courses in our section. Of course, my facility at Normanside is a personal favorite as I was a member here before becoming the Head Professional. I have many fond memories of those bonds and friendships that I made as a member here. My second favorite course in the section would be Shaker Ridge CC where I spent 4 great seasons as an assistant professional under another tremendous PGA Professional and great mentor Chas Conrad. Shaker Ridge is a wonderful facility which I never grew tired of playing.

13. What is your favorite course outside of the NENY PGA?
I have had the pleasure of playing many great golf courses in my life. I could make a list of many that I loved for various reasons but my top 3 would be Liberty National, Shinnecock Hills and Winged Foot.

14. What is the highlight of your career?
Establishing a Jr Program at Normanside that caters to both members and nonmembers and helps develop new and young players is a highlight for me. Growth of the game is a priority for me and my facility and I truly enjoy working with the kids!

15. When you’re not playing golf, what do you like to do?
When not playing golf I enjoy coaching basketball, watching my son’s lacrosse games and reading.

16. If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?
If I could meet anyone living or dead, I would love to spend some time with Ben Hogan. I've read almost every book written about Mr. Hogan and I’d love to pick his brain on so many topics.

17. What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of my children and the fine young adults they have grown into. In these times it is hard to be a young person and I could not be prouder of these 2! And yes, I know it all comes from their Mom!!

18. What is something (a fun fact) most people don’t know about you?
Fun Fact.... In High School I was actually a much better tennis player than a golfer and was MVP of Tennis team in 1985. ... See MoreSee Less